


Heaven Is A Place On Earth With You

by 21bangsfangirl



Category: JackSepticEye (YouTube RPF), Markiplier (YouTube RPF), Septiplier - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, Youtube RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Drama, M/M, Romance, Septiplier - Freeform, Third Person POV, Virtual Reality, War, first fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-04-17 20:29:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4680308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/21bangsfangirl/pseuds/21bangsfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where Jack cannot remember his name; the only thing he can recall and grasp on is a man he used to play video games with.</p><p>"Mark, I will find you so I can find myself"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Only Worth Living If Somebody Is Loving You

**Author's Note:**

> This piece of work is inspired by Lana Del Rey's song titled "Video Games" and K-Pop song by 2NE1 titled "Come Back Home", set in post-catastrophic after a nuclear bomb incident.
> 
> Check out Lana's song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6wxDqdOV0  
> Check out 2NE1's song : https://youtu.be/vLbfv-AAyvQ  
> Disclaimer : I do not own Jacksepticeye and Markiplier. It is non-profit and purely a fanwork.

He opened his eyes, the sound of panicked human beings disturbed him from a deep dreamless sleep. He tried to turn his head to see his surrounding, and he panicked. He couldn’t seem to recognise anyone around, but no one around paid any attention to him, they were all too caught up in their own state of beings.

“Hello there, you are awake”

He looked up to see a woman dressed in all white approaching him. He tried to say something, maybe a simple _yes_ , but his voice was dried in his throat.

The woman smiled. “You do not need to say anything.”

She brought up a thin small wooden board and wrote something on it.

“I am dr. Samantha Jones. Do you remember anything from the catastrophe?”

It was when the panic hit him. He could not remember anything, he didn’t even know who he was, or how he looked like; of course he could not remember any catastrophe.

_Was there a catastrophe? What happened?_

He wanted to ask the doctor, but his voice still stuck in his throat.

“I take that as no.”

The doctor quickly cleaned his— _he assumed it was—_ wound, gave him some water and small amount of food.

“I have to go now. I will check on you later when you are in a less shocked state, maybe you could remember a thing or two by then. Good day.”

She gave a last small smile and walked away from him.

He figured there was nothing else he could do so he shut his eyes, hoping something good would come to that.

 

* * *

_He smiled as he pressed the numerous buttons in his keyboard._

_“Jack, you adorable poopie. Don’t do that, you’re killing me there, buddy.”_

_It seemed that he said something, but he could not hear his own voice. Also, was that his name? Jack? Who was he speaking to? He seemed to have so much fun, to let go the pressure inside his chest._

_“No! Ah! I’ve always won this game when I played it with my other friends. Jack, how could you beat me?!”_

_He laughed, although he still could not hear any sound coming out from his mouth, he felt happy and not lonely. He had a friend, a good close friend he could play and laugh with._

* * *

 

He opened his eyes when he felt the cold surface of the doctor’s device touched the skin of his neck.

“J… J… Ja-ack”

Doctor Jones turned away from her work on him.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

“M… M-Me… J… Jack”

“Is that your name? Jack?”

Jack struggled to nod, from the smile on Doctor Jones’ lips it seemed that he managed to nod.

“Well, it’s great to know you, Jack. It is a great development, others take more than 24 hours to recover their simplest memory.”

“…T-Tell..me wh-wha..t happened”

“I’m not supposed to fill you with heavy stuff just yet, but I can tell you that a big bomb hit Northern Europe and this is a refugee shelter.”

“The w-war, y-yes…?”

Doctor Jones smiled again.

“Yes, Jack. Well, that’s all I can tell you for now. I will check on you again soon.”

 

The next time Jack opened his eyes he did not see Doctor Jones, instead he saw a tall blonde young man around his age sitting sadly on the stool near his bed.

“W-Who…”

The young man looked up.

“Hey, man. I’m sorry I did not mean to disturb you. I was just bored sitting around in my confinement all day. Very annoying I can tell you.”

Jack nodded a little.

“You don’t mind if I stick around a little bit longer, I just need somebody to talk to you. It gets really lonely and my doctor is not as sweet as yours, unfortunately.”

“I…can-cannot…ta-talk p-p-properly”

“Nah, it’s okay. It will come back, just let me do the talking.”

Jack replied again with a nod.

“I’m Felix K, still don’t know what the K stands for though. Memory blocked like a motherfucker.”

“I-I’m Jack.”

Felix K grinned.

“Hey Jack. So you just woke up yesterday? I woke up last week, and man, let me tell you this place is a shithole. All you see are sick people, and don’t get me wrong I know you’re sick right now and I was sick too, probably still am, but you would want a change of scenery after a while. I used to be okay with blood smells and broken limbs but shit, man, enough is enough.”

“D-Do… y…y…you remem…ber a-anything?”

“Yeah, I remember quite a lot now already. Big badoom of explosions, destroyed home. I remember the life I had before too, a dad, a sister, a girlfriend, having a job I actually liked, I mean, shit right? If I was really happy then this bomb happened. _Javla_ …”

Jack let out a huff in the inability to say anything back.

“Wanted to ask you if you remembered anything but you still can’t talk.”

Felix grinned again, a slight awkwardness covering the atmosphere. Then Jack spotted the rectangle thing Felix was holding.

“W-Wh..at’s tha..t?”

Felix lifted an eyebrow before realising that Jack asked about the sketchbook in his hand.

“Oh, I draw things here. My doctor gave it to me, thought it would be easier for me to remember if I drew them because my memories came from dreams, in pictures.”

“W-Would you d-draw fo..r my me..mories?”

“Yeah, I’ll do it, nothing else to do anyway. But my drawing is, let me tell you, they are flawless.”

Jack wanted to laugh but he felt that he did not remember how to laugh, how unsettling.

“I guess I bothered you enough, Jackie. I need to come back to my bed before my doctor came back. See you.”

Jack tried to lift his hand for a little wave and Felix smiled a little in return.

 

* * *

_“What are you supposed to be doing there? Swimming? It looks like you just floating in the air.”_

_…_

_“Yeah, this could be our honeymoon, with freaking natives!”_

_..._

_“We have the weirdest conversations ever, the game is the witness!”_

* * *

 

Ten days have passed, Jack spent all of them in bed as Doctor Jones treated his head wound and did a therapy so he could move normally again. He could already sit up now and put his feet on the floor but he could not stand up yet. Felix visited Jack often, they talked about nearly anything that could be seen by their eyes as Jack’s speech recovered. Jack was glad that he had a friend or otherwise he would explode.

“I see him again, Felix.”

“Really, Jack? Don’t any other memories come back? Like where you lived, your job, your room, your family?”

“The only thing I remember beside the ones about him was running away from the noise.”

“Man, you have some serious problem.”

“I want to see him.”

“You want to see him? You don’t even know who he is or where he lives or anything, Jackie.”

Jack stared at the wall next to where Felix sat.

“Just move on, Jackie, seriously. When we go out from here, just start a new life, you can be whoever you want to be now.”

“I can’t. I need to find him, I need to know why he is the only thing I can remember.”

“Maybe you two had a thing going on?”

Jack rolled his eyes at Felix.

“Well, you and Marzia had been together for years but she’s not the only thing you can remember, is she?”

“You got a point there. But still where are you going to look for him?”

“I had a dream that he lives in America. You’re dismissed on three days time right? You think you could help me get a ride there?”

“I could try and contact the people I used to work with, find out maybe one of them could get a plane ride to America. But Jack you stupid ass, America is a big country, you could get lost.”

“I have nothing to lose, Felix. I don’t have anyone looking for me or anything, I am already lost. He is the only hope so that I can be found.”

With that Felix left Jack’s room, leaving him to close his eyes and see the only man who knew him.

* * *

 

_“Hello, my name is Mark. Nice to meet you!”_

_“Hey, Mark. I’m Jack, well at least people call me that.”_

* * *

 

Jack opened his lids slowly and stare at the ceiling, picturing the unique face painting the pale white surface above him.

“Mark, I will find you so I can find myself.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first fic in AO3, ever.  
> Everytime I hear Lana's song Video Games I just can't get Septiplier out of my head so here's the child of that thought.  
> The next chapter, Jack will be dismissed from the hospital and goes in an adventure in the country of Uncle Sam and more unfamiliarities.  
> Tell me what you think in the comments, if this gets positive feedbacks I will make the next chapter longer ^^


	2. Pull Up In Your Fast Car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack finally gets to leave the refugee shelter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for the positive feedback. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you. Apologies if they are not what you expect them.

“I’m dismissed today”, Felix said as he opened the curtain to Jack’s chamber.

“Yeah, I know”, Jack said without looking up from staring at his legs. He just wanted to walk again, he could not wait to leave the shelter and start discovering things he used to know.

“Don’t worry, Jackie. It will be better soon, you know that.”

“I want it all to be better soon. You were right, it would be nice to get a change of scenery.”

Felix laughed and Jack continued, “Especially when you can’t really go anywhere.”

“Don’t be pessimistic, Jackie.”

There were footsteps approaching from outside and Doctor Jones entered the chamber.

“Good afternoon, Jack.”, she greeted Jack with a nice welcoming smile. “Hello, Felix.”

“Hey, Doctor Jones.”, Felix greeted her back.

“So, you’re dismissed today, right? Finally get to leave this place and see the sunlight again?”

“Stealing the words right out of my mouth, Doctor.”

Doctor Jones took Jack’s hand.

“Come on, Jack. I believe you should be able to stand up today and maybe walk up some steps.”

Jack gently moved his legs and put down his feet on the grey coloured concrete floor of the hospital, the coldness felt strange to him. Slowly shifting his weight from his bum on the bed to the tip of his toes, Doctor Jones held his waist and he made it, he was standing up on his feet.

“You’re doing really really good, Jack.”, the doctor said as she slowly let go of Jack’s waist and held his upper arm instead.

Jack was happy, he could walk in a few days and finally leave the shelter. He looked at Felix grinning widely as if approving what Doctor Jones said.

“…How is everyone e..lse, Doctor Jones?”

Sometimes the speech problem came back, Doctor Jones said it would take approximately three months for the slight trauma to his frontal lobe to completely recover.

“Everyone else is getting better too, Jack. But right now, you have to focus on getting _you_ better, okay? So you can catch up with Felix here on the sunlight.”

Jack smiled and nodded.

“Okay. Would you like to try to take a step now, Jack?”

Jack nodded again.

“Okay, you do know how people walk right? Put one foot forward, shift your weight to that foot and then put the other foot forward and shift your weight to that foot. You’re with me?”

“Can I be the one helping him instead, Doctor?”, Felix offered. “I mean, it’s the last day I get to see him recover here.”

“Sure, Felix. Just be gentle, okay?”

Doctor Jones slowly let go of Jack’s arm and Felix quickly held it before Jack could collapse.

“I think I’m gonna fall, Felix.”

“No, no you’re not gonna fall. Come on, Jack. You have to get better so you can find _him_ , remember?”

Jack sucked in a breath, closed his eyes and took his first step, feeling as if he were reborn. His toes tensed when the balls of his feet carried his weight. Felix’s and Doctor Jones’ encouraging voice echoed in the background, but the only thing he could focus on was…

_“Jack, come on! We’re going to miss the bus!”_

_“Hang on, Mark! I didn’t get enough sleep last night, I’m too tired to run now!”_

_Mark laughed, deep husky voice echoed from the back of his mind._

_“Come on, Jack. You’re falling behind!”_

_Mark crossed the road, mischievous eyes fixed to Jack’s face._

_“Mark, no!”_

_The sudden sound of a car horn rang through Jack’s ear and Mark was gone._

…and that was when Jack’s legs gave out, he scrambled for something to hold on to. Lucky Felix was quick, he held Jack’s waist and prevented him from hitting the ground.

“Hey, you’re okay, you’re okay. You’re doing well, really well.”

Doctor Jones and Felix gently helped him to get back on his bed.

“You are great today, Jack. I’m going to file in a report. I will come back in an hour for your lunch.”

Jack nodded weakly.

“Thank you, Doctor.”

She smiled and with that she left the room leaving him and Felix alone, again.

“I’m sick of this, Felix. After this you’re going to leave and I will have no one to talk to.”

“You were doing great today, Jack. You should take some rest now.”

“And miss out on your leave? No.”

“I’ll be here, I won’t leave until you’re up.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky swear, man.”

The blonde threw him a reassuring smile, and Jack thanked heavens for sending him a great friend. He slowly drifted to sleep.

When Jack woke up Felix was no longer there but there was a big brown envelope in his hand. He opened it and saw a drawing of Mark. Dark hair, dark narrow eyes and a taunting smirk on his lips, just how Jack always described him to Felix. He flipped the paper and there was a short letter there.

_Hey Jack it was great to spend some time with you in that shithole. Sorry I did not keep my promise to wait until you were up. I know you will be okay, you are strong and determined and I know you can make it. I will send you a phone in a week, my number will be in there and call me three days before you’re dismissed, I will send you the ticket by then. Thank you for being a great friend._

_Felix Kjellberg._

Jack smiled and thought to himself, _Thank you, too, Felix. I’m glad you remember your last name, please be happy with your family and Marzia, I hope you’ll get to them._

* * *

 

It was another week until Jack was dismissed. He signed the paperwork Doctor Jones gave him and gave the doctor a hug before saying goodbye for good. He called Felix three days before, just as he was told and the blonde seemed to come up with a ridiculous code name of _PewDiePie_. Jack had rolled his eyes so hard at that.

The first time he stepped outside of the shelter his heart broke. There were no street and no houses, he was greeted by nothing but dusty and dry stretch of lands. Piles of burnt furniture scattered here and there, also clothes and old electronic devices. He crouched down and picked up a metal plate.

“In London town, we all fall down.”, he read out loud.

_So this is a town called London?_

Jack took the phone Felix sent him from his pocket. He could not thank Felix enough for also sending him some decent clothes to wear. Felix had also sent him the location of the ‘plane place’ to go to America, he had told him to _just follow the red blimpy thing_ _on screen_.

When he arrived at the plane place, he was greeted by a curly skinny dude.

“Oi, you Jackie?”

“Yeah?”, Jack raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m Stampy, an acquaintance of Pewdiepie. I’ll be the one to take you to America.”

“You will be my pilot?”

“Yep. Do you have any luggage?”

“No”

“Alright just follow me now.”

Stampy lead him to a place full of junk on the sides. The airplane was hidden from his eyes behind stacks of barrels.

“The only runway we could find around here, or what’s left of it.”

“What about London airport?”

“They only fly important people at the moment because, I quote, _too dangerous_.”

“How did you get away from the explosion?”

“Oh I wasn’t here”, Stampy told him as he helped Jack climbed the steps to get in the plane. “I was on holiday in Thailand.”

“Where is that?”

“Southeast Asia.”

Jack smiled at him sheepishly. “I’m sorry I don’t know where that is.”

“Pewdiepie mentioned you had lost most of your memories.”

“Yes, I don’t remember much. I don’t even know where we are now, to be honest.”

Stampy closed the plane door and motioned Jack to sit down on the seat behind the pilot’s.

“That’s not good.”, he commented slightly before tampering with the controls. “We have to go quick. You know this flight is illegal right?”

“And there I was wondering why I was the only one on this plane.”

“Don’t worry, Jackie. I used to fly planes all the time before the bomb.”

“I hope so”, Jack hissed in a slight panic, but he knew that he had to get through this to find Mark.

* * *

 

After 8 hours of awkward and slight boring conversations with the curly head, Jack finally arrived in America. Again, they landed on an abandoned lot probably far away from where Mark lived.

“Where are we?”

“We are in a city called New York.”

“New…York?”

“Yes, this is a center of most life in America, or maybe not I’m not sure. But this place is crowded enough to be considered that, not as much damage as in Northern Europe too.”

“I still can’t make sense of the bomb, why would anyone bomb a place where people lived in peace?”

“Did we?”

“What?”

“Live in peace.”

“I don’t know, I don’t really remember.”

Stampy finally looked away from the controls.

“We’re here, you ready to go out?”

“Yeah, let me stretch a bit first”, Jack said, standing up to reclaim his muscles movements.

“Take that green bag in the corner there. Pewdiepie said you would need it. There’s a map, some food and some American money in there. Hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“Me too, Stampy. Me too.”

* * *

 

Jack jumped down from the plane, breathing different air than he used to since he woke up from the dreamless sleep that day. It was fresher and cleaner. Stampy had told him there was less radiation here than where he used to be, that it was good for his recovery.

He checked the contents of the bag and found a map, foods, money and a new phone. A small note was sticked loosely on the back casing of the phone.

_Contact me when you arrive_

_-PewDiePie_

Jack rolled his eyes again, beside being thankful for these non-stop help he kept on getting from Felix. He quickly dialled him.

“Hey, Felix. I’ve arrived.”

“Jackie, nice to hear from you again, man. So, how is America so far?”

“I’m still trying to find the centre of crowd here.”

“Use this phone if you need anything. A taxi, an ambulance, the police, suicide hotline, brothel…”

“Felix! Seriously!”

The man on the other end laughed. “I’m just joking, Jack. So what are you going to do now?”

“I’ll figure something out. Thanks for all your help, Felix. I really appreciate it.”

“Sure, Jackie. Just go find him, okay? Live your life. Call me if you need someone to talk to.”

“Okay, Felix. I better get going. See you.”

“See you, man.”

Jack hung up. He really didn’t know what to do now, lest where to start looking for Mark. He opened the map, thinking maybe the best thing to do for now is to go to the city centre. There would be heaps of people there and maybe he could start asking around.

He kept on walking and walking for hours, he was glad that his legs had been so cooperative and had not decided to give out on him like they usually did, considering it had been very active few hours compared to what he used to do back in the refugee shelter.

The clock on his American phone showed 04.46pm when he arrived at the city centre. He took out Felix’s drawing of Mark and started asking around like a clueless child. He did not know what to expect, Mark could be living on the other end of America but he had to start somewhere even it would take the rest of his life, at least he had something to look forward to.

When the sun went down, Jack entered a cheap looking motel and checked in. He decided not to waste the money Felix gave him, he was thinking of finding some short jobs to cover for his daily expenses and saved Felix’s money for special needs.

Jack did not count the days he spent asking around and showing the scratchy drawing of Mark. He just kept on asking and asking and asking. Until one day, he met someone who recognised the drawing.

“Excuse me”

The bearded man turned away from his pretzel to look at him.

“Hi, I would like to ask you whether you know this person.”, Jack asked and showed the man the drawing.

“Is this Mark?”

Jack’s eyes lit up at the man’s question. “Y..You know h-him?”

“Well, I used to know him. He was a pain in the ass.”

“C-Can you…help me find…him?”

The man lifted an eyebrow. “Why would I do that? I don’t even know you and I don’t want to see his slanty-eyed face no more.”

“I could…pay you, good sir.”

“Hm? Five grand and we’d have a deal.”

“Can’t it be two thousand dollar?”

“Three.

“Two.”

“Three.”

“Two and a half?”

“Three. Take it or leave it.”

Jack mentally counted Felix’s money in his head.

“O-Okay, I think I have enough.”

“You have no idea what you’re getting into, do you, Leprechaun?”

“All I know is that I have to find him.”

The man put down his pretzel and offered a hand shake. “The name’s Arin.”

“Jack”, Jack said as he took the hand to shake it.

“Meet me tomorrow at this hour.”

Arin stood up and gave Jack a mischievous grin, the same type that Mark always gave him in his vision. “And Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“Once you’re in, there’s no way back.”

Jack gulped, staring at Arin’s back. _I would do anything to able to live again, to be able to find myself again._

* * *

 

_“There is something I gotta tell you, Jack”_

_Mark’s words were heavy and laced with something strange, giving Jack an unsettling feeling on the pit of his belly._

_And Jack could not remember what happened after that, but he remembered it was the last time he had seen Mark before all his memory faded._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My uni is starting again soon, so I thought I would update this story. I'm going to update again around next week. The next chapter Jack will discover the truth about Mark from Arin and his posse.


	3. Better Than I Ever Even Knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack found out the truth about Mark, and himself.

The sun was hanging low on the west when Jack left his hotel to meet Arin. He had the money clutched tightly in his hand inside a small bag. Jack had spent the night before with tossing and turning, calculating every single possibility of meeting Arin. What was Arin’s warning about? He hoped it was not about life or death because he really did not want to die before he rediscovered his purpose of life.

“Hey, Leprechaun!”

Jack turned his head to see Arin, face hidden under his hoodie, standing on the shady corner. He motioned Jack to come to him, so Jack did.

“Arin?”

“Yeah. You got the money?”

Jack nodded.

“Okay, come with me.”

They walked through unfamiliar streets and Jack prayed to whatever God he used to believe in to keep him save. He prayed over and over again in his head hoping Arin was not a bad person, that he was not going to take him into something that Jack would regret forever.

Arin’s footsteps stopped and Jack found himself standing in front of a steel door, a small sticker in a scribble style on the corner saying _‘GRUMPS & CYNDAGOS’_, it was quite hard to read, though.

“Listen, Jack. Whatever you are about to see and learn inside that door stays inside that door, you hear?”

“…Y…Yeah, I can do that.”

“Okay. Now, give me the money.”, Arin said and extended his hand.

“Now?”

“Yes, now, Leprechaun.”

“How do I know you’re not taking the money then locking me out? I want to give it to you inside.”

Arin rolled his eyes.

“Fine, suit yourself.”

The stranger entered a password and the door opened with a disturbing beeping sound. Arin opened the door and pulled Jack inside with him.

“Now give me the money. We’re inside now.”

Jack shakily handed Arin the small bag he carried with him all the way. Arin snatched it right away, leaving no more room for Jack’s doubts to react.

“Don’t ask me any question. Someone else will answer for you later inside.”

Inside, Jack saw lots of electronic equipments, cables, monitors, repeaters, and many things he was not familiar with. Arin kept on walking through the narrow path between the cables, Jack had quite a difficulty keeping up with him, he blamed his balance that had not fully recovered yet.

There was another door, a wooden one this time. Behind that door Jack saw a lanky man sitting on the chair, fiddling on a computer.

“Danny”, Arin called out to the man.

‘Danny’ turned his head.

“Oh hey, Arin. Is this the Leprechaun you talked about?”

“Yeah.”

‘Danny’ stood up and smiled, offering his hand for a handshake to Jack.

“Hello, my name is Danny. I’m sorry if Arin scared you in any way.”

“I’m Jack. I-It’s okay…, I guess.”

“So Arin told me you’re looking for Mark?”

Jack’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, yeah. Do you know where he is?”

“Why are you looking for him?”

“Uh… I… Can’t you just tell me where he is? I will look for him on my own.”

“Whenever there was anyone looking for Mark, it was never good news.”

“Wh-Why is that so?”

“Listen, Jack. You tell me why you’re looking for him and I will tell you all there is about Mark.”

Jack sagged his shoulders in defeat and started telling Danny what happened to him.

“There was a bomb in Northern Europe. I was one of the victims. That day I woke up in the shelter bed not knowing where I was, or even who I was. I could not recall anything before that. But the only thing that kept on flashing in my head was Mark. I found out my name from him calling me in my mind. I couldn't move on, I was thinking that maybe if I found him I would be able to remember my whole life again and just continue to live it. So I flew here, to look for him.”

Arin snickered, “My fear has came to life, Danny. I knew something was wrong with that bastard but you just wouldn’t listen, you and the Cyndagos, you people trusted him so much.”

“Calm down, Arin.”

Danny let out a sigh and massaged the bridge of his nose.

“Jack, I… I don’t know how to say this. I’ll try to make it easier as possible. You do know there’s a war going on right now, right?”

“To be honest, Danny. I don’t really know what is going on around me. My head just can’t really process all of those things.”

“Last year there was a rebel group forming in the West Coast city of Los Angeles, America. Their intention until now is still not clear, but they attacked numerous government buildings, civilian settlements and many more. They have grown bigger and bigger, seven months ago the United States government had declared them as insurgents, and in the last three months as international belligerents. They have members everywhere around the globe now, they’re good at manipulating people causing countries to turn against each other.”

Danny paused for a while, letting Jack absorb the new information.

“Right after the US government announced them as insurgents, they spread a news, searching for professional hackers and spies from the civilians without any military background or affiliated with government organizations. That was when me and Arin—we call ourselves the Grumps—Mark,—Ryan and Daniel—the Cyndagos met. We were the ones chosen by the government to conduct secret unofficial investigations about the belligerents.”

Jack stared at Danny in disbelief.

“So, you guys are secret government agents?”

“That’s an easy way to put it. Well, moving on, Mark was the best out of us. He deciphered the codes, hacked the firewalls like he was the one who made them. We admired him, but it should have been obvious to us. Arin always suspected that it was too easy, so he bugged Mark. I and he had a huge fight because of that, I was angry that he didn’t trust our own friend. But he told me that we couldn’t be too careful. Few days after that, Mark found out, he was really angry and he told us that we could never stop the belligerents from reforming the world, and then he left.”

“Mark is one of the people who bombed other people?”

Danny put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Would you tell me how Mark was in your memory?”

“H-He was nice and funny, we were really close and I believe that I—the old me that I can’t remember—fell in love with him.”

Danny looked at him with pitying eyes and Jack hated it, but he would probably do the same thing if he were Danny.

“Let me take you to see the Cyndagos. Might as well meet everyone while you’re here, right?”

Jack smiled sourly and nodded.

Now it was Danny who was taking him through another sea of cables, they got in another door to a similar room like the one where Arin and Danny were. He saw two men there but there were three workdesks.

 _Mark’s_. Jack thought to himself.

He walked to the desk, he felt his legs were too heavy. He couldn’t believe the person he—the old Jack—loved helped bombed innocent people. He stared at the workdesk, slowly sat down on the chair as he ran his fingers on the surface of the desk.

“Who’s that?”. Jack heard one of the men said.

“That’s Jack.”, Danny answered. “Please just give him some space, guys.”

There was nothing special about the desk. It was empty, covered thinly in dust. There was a small drawer to his right, he opened it and saw a small photo frame facing down inside it. Jack gasped when he turned the frame, it was a photo of him and Mark. They looked so happy in it, Jack had his arms around Mark and Mark’s hand held his head to keep him in place as he kissed the top of Jack’s head. He saw a small handwriting on the bottom left.

_2/8 make it last forever._

“Danny…”, Jack called out softly.

Danny walked to him and took the photograph. Jack saw him widened his eyes too.

“Guys, do you know who this guy with Mark in this photo is?”

“I think that’s Sean McLoughlin, Mark’s long-term boyfriend.”, one of them answered without looking away from the screen. “Mark talked about him a lot, we even helped him plan their last anniversary. Mark looked genuinely sad that time, saying that Sean would never forgive him for something he was about to do to him or something.”

“Guys, would you stop for a second? Ryan? Daniel?”

One of them stopped fiddling with his computer and turned to look at Danny.

“What is it, Sexbang? We’re busy. We found out they’re going to attack again soon—Holy, shit…”

“What, Ryan?”

“Daniel, seriously. It’s him, it’s Sean, Mark’s boyfriend.”

The other man turned his chair. “Jesus Christ, it _is_ him. What’s he doing here, Sexbang? What does he want?”

Jack stared at them in confusion, eyes glazed. He just found out that his name was Sean McLoughlin, not Jack, and he and Mark were long-term boyfriends?

“Guys, please take it down a notch. This is Jack, he doesn’t know Sean McLoughlin and he wants to find Mark.”

“Jack?”

“No way, Sexbang. He’s Sean McLoughlin, definitely him.”

Jack spoke up. “I’m sorry, guys. Maybe I am Sean McLoughlin, but the thing is I don’t remember anything. I just kept seeing Mark in my head and I thought it is best to find him.”

“I’m Ryan and this is Daniel. Sorry, if we were creeping you out.”

“Do you want to know what we know about you and Mark?”

Jack nodded. “Please try to be slow, okay.”

Ryan smiled. “Mark was stationed here with us while the Grumps were in the other room. We talked about many things, and he told us about you a lot. Mark was a very private person, he always seemed to be outgoing and ridiculous to others but the real him only talked about the necessary things, very practical, organized and critical.”

“Mark lied about lots of things, but we do know for sure that he did not lie about how he felt about you. He was so proud to be with you, he said you were the funniest, bravest, smartest person he’s ever met. He told us that you guys lived together in a house somewhere in this city, that you guys moved here so that it could be easier for him to work on the investigations. Don’t get us wrong, we still hate him for lying and playing us like puppets right in front of our eyes without us realizing it.”, Daniel continued.

“T-Thank you, guys. It meant a lot t-to…me. And I’m sorry…for what Mark did”

“Don’t be. It’s him, not you.”

Jack turned to look at Danny.

“D-Do you think you can take me to the house Mark used to live in here?”

“Daniel knows where he used to live, he can take you there.”

Danny motioned the Cyndagos, Ryan looked at Daniel and the latter gave him a single nod. “Go, I can handle it by myself, but don’t take too long, okay?”

Daniel stood up. “Come on, Jack.”

* * *

 

They rode in Daniel’s car in silence. Jack could feel that Daniel felt awkward around him.

“Hey, Daniel, I really appreciate this. Just letting you know.”

Daniel gave him a small smile.

Few minutes later, they arrived in front of a nice looking white-painted house. Jack hated himself for not being able to remember ever living here.

“We’re here. It was the time when we bugged Mark, I followed him here and saw you—I mean, Sean—kissed him at the door. Well, that was my cue to leave.”

Jack laughed a little. “Yeah, that would be awkward.”

“You’re a really nice person, Jack. Here”, Daniel handed him a note with phone numbers on it. “It’s mine and Danny’s number, just call when you need anything.”

“Thank you, Daniel. I guess I’ll see you around, then.”

Jack got off the car, waved a little at Daniel as he drove his car away. Jack then turned to look at the house, the plants were dying and overgrowing a little bit. He dragged his feet towards the house, preparing himself for anything he was going to find inside.

The door was locked so he had to get in through the large window. There was a long brown couch with dirty laundry on top of it, a mug and some magazines on the coffee table, all on the crossword page. He walked further inside and saw a large flat screen TV, it was on, showed a screen of a video game he did not know the title of.

He turned around to see the dining room, the dining table was empty with unlit candles and dried flower petals on the middle of it. Not far from the dining table there was a small corner table, he walked closer and saw five more photographs of him and Mark. Trying to push away the sad feeling, Jack walked to the kitchen. A pan was still on the stove, but other than that it was empty. He walked to the fridge and saw numerous notes sticked to it with magnets.

_Thank you for the amazing night, I love you. I’ll see you after work._

_-M_

Most of the writings were signed with an ‘M’, which Jack believed was Mark’s. But there was one signed with a ‘J’ and there was a twisting feeling in his belly, so he took it down, grabbed a pen from the coffee table in the living room and tried to copy it.

_I have to leave. I love you despite the bad choices you make, big doof and I will always remember you even if I could not remember my own name._

_-J_

Jack almost cried when he compared the writings, they both were exactly the same, which could only mean he was Sean McLoughlin, he knew Mark were doing the bad things and he let him do it, he even loved him even though he knew about it.

He continued the tour of the house, climbing the stairs leading to the bedroom. The door wasn’t closed, the bed was messy and clothes scattered here and there got him thinking it was from their last encounter. There was another TV and when he saw the remote, he felt the urge to turn it on. So he sat on the edge of the bed and did just that. The screen showed Mark, his hair was messy and he had bloodshot eyes.

_“Hey, beautiful. If you’re watching this it means you’re back in New York already. I didn’t tidy our bedroom because I don’t want to face the fact that I will never going to see you again. I miss you, Sean, I am sorry. I tried calling you but I couldn’t get through. I kept on hoping you would call me but it’s been months and I don’t think it’s ever going to happen.”_

_Mark laughed bitterly a little. “I don’t even know if you’re ever going to watch this.”_

_He let out a shaky breath and continued. “I am sorry for what I did to you, but I knew you were different. You did agree to it at the first place but I should have told you all the details. I completely understand if you don’t ever want to see me again, but please, please if you’re watching this, know that I love you, so much, Jack and I am really, really sorry.”_

The screen turned blank as the video ended and Jack felt ridiculous. He looked around the room and saw a thick book with a landline cordless telephone on top of it. He took the book and opened it. He was going to call Mark, he wanted the truth, he wanted to know what happened to him, he wanted to know that if he lived here then why he was on the other side of the earth.

Jack took out the phone he got from Felix, his fingers trembled as he punched in Mark’s number that was written on the first page of the book on his lap. His heart hammered on his chest when the dial tone rang through his ears.

“Hello?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for all the kudos everybody. Hope this chapter added more spice to the story! Tell me what you think in the comments 'cause I love talking to people!  
> PS: Danny didn't know Arin asked money from Jack :P  
> Weekend finally came and I could continue this story! So next chapter Jack will finally see Mark! Or not? Stay tuned!


	4. It's All For You, Everything I Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack finally found what he's been looking for. Is he going to have his fairytale ending?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made time in my packed week to write this for you guys. I hope it's not disappointing!

Jack’s hands were trembling when he heard the voice on the other end. It was not Mark’s voice, it was a woman’s voice.

“Hello?”

“I-…”

“Is this a prank?”

“N-no. May I speak to Mark?”

“Mark’s not here. Who am I speaking to?”

“It’s—Never mind.”

Jack quickly hung up. He could not believe he actually freaked out. He contemplated as he let his eyes roamed the room. He would call the number again later, maybe Mark would be the one to answer by then. He decided he might as well clean the room while waiting.

Jack started by picking up the clothes on the floor. He put the clothes on the bed, looking at them one by one, trying to dig any memory involving them but it seemed he really could not remember anything.

_What did Mark do to me?_

* * *

 

Two hours passed, Jack still didn’t know whether to call again or not. He didn’t even know who that woman on the other line was. He was scared and he felt alone, trapped in the house he used to call home. He was scared of the Grumps and Cyndagos, they were quite nice but he didn’t even know them. Every decision seemed too frightening for him right now, not knowing what was going to be in front of you, not even knowing what was behind you.

He suddenly heard his phone rang, the sound pierced through his ears like needles, feeding his frightened thoughts. Scrambling to reach out for it, Jack lost his balance and fell next to the bed. He narrowed his eyes as he saw something under it. It seemed like a briefcase.

The phone kept on ringing as Jack tried to reach out for the briefcase. After he did, he carefully got up and sat on the bed putting the briefcase on his lap. He answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Sean? Is that you?”

Jack opened the unlocked briefcase.

“I-I’m sorry?”

“Sorry, that was Mary. She said you were looking for Mark?”

“Who…are you?”

“I’m Ken. Sean, what happened to you?”

Jack was shocked when he saw some medical equipment in the briefcase. It looked like it could be used to perform a simple experiment.

“I don’t know. Did I know you before?”

“Yes, Sean. We are friends. You don’t remember any of that?”

“No, I don’t. I’m trying to figure it out,…Ken.”

Jack closed the briefcase again. He needed to talk to someone about it.

“Sean, I can take you to see Mark.”

“You…know where he is?”

“Yeah. So what do you say?”

“How do I know that I can trust you?”

“I’ll send you some photos when we used to hang out together.”

His phone beeped shortly after that. Jack checked it, and he was hit with another wave of fear, some evidences to being friends with people he never met before.

“Sean? You and Mark used to tell me everything.”

“So you can help me to make sense of all this?”

“I can’t guarantee that. But I _will_ take you to Mark. He’s been… _different_ …since you’re gone.”

Jack took a deep breath. “Okay, Ken.”

“Okay, where are you now?”

“I’m at this…house in New York.”

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

“I’ll…be waiting.”, Jack hung up.

When Jack was about to put away the suitcase, he saw a small note stuck to the end of the suitcase.

_I’ll run away with your footsteps;_

_I’ll build a city that dreams for two._

_And if you lose yourself, I will find you._

Jack didn’t know how to make sense of the note, it seemed like a poem. So he pocket the note and lied down on the bed, letting the sleep wash over him.

* * *

 

It was around 12 in the afternoon when Ken arrived at the house. Jack greeted him and let the awkward tension in the air fueled his shivers.

“Hey, Sean. You ready? We’re going to miss our flight if we don’t hurry up.”

“But, you just got here.”

“The next flight is at 1.30pm. I figured you would want to see Mark as quickly as possible?”, Ken shot him a smile.

“I…guess.”

They left the house shortly after that. Jack did not forget to bring the briefcase. He would want a thorough explanation about everything, including the briefcase.

The condition in America was so much better than in Europe, there were many damaged buildings but everything still seemed to stand, the houses were still intact, and even their public airport was still operating.

Jack didn’t talk much during the flight, only simple questions here and there. He had a feeling that he used to be a talkative person, but now it seemed wrong to talk.

“Sean?”

“Yes?”

“Whatever Mark did, he must’ve had a good reason for doing it.”

“What’s a good reason for bombing innocent people, Ken?”

“I am going to let him explain that to you in his own words.”

“Did I know this? That he’s destroying the world? Why did I let him do it?”

“You must’ve had a good reason for letting him do it too”, Ken smiled.

Jack let out a long shaky breath. “When I think about it, I just want to have a normal life again. But now it seemed that it’s just impossible.”

Ken didn’t answer, Jack knew he felt bad for talking too.

After an hour long flight, they finally arrived at this place called _Cincinnati_. Jack knew the plane was not full, but now it was clear to him that there were only five people on it.

They spent another twenty minutes of simple jokes on the road until Ken told the driver to stop in front of a barber shop. Jack wanted to question but he kept it to himself, he told himself that Ken knew better than him.

Inside the barber shop, Ken told the barber that he was here to use the toilet. The barber nodded and gave him a remote, Ken motioned Jack to walk first towards the restroom. Jack saw Ken pressed numbers on the remote and the wall of the far left stall opened, revealing a grey-painted hallway.

“After you, Jack of All Trades.”

With his confusion almost at its peak, Jack walked into the hallway. The red light blinded him momentarily when Ken closed the wall behind them. Ken walked in front of him now, Jack followed him. The non-stop wave of information hitting his brain threatened him to lose his balance. He thanked the heavens for letting him keep up until Ken stopped in his tracks. He saw two men were talking behind the plastic curtain.

“Wait here”

Ken said something to one of the two silhouettes of men behind the curtain. Jack wildly guessed that person was Mark. Ken poked his head out to motion Jack to get inside. His steps were faltering, his legs felt as heavier as he got closer.

And he was right, the person behind the curtain was Mark. He was just like how Jack saw him in his head. Jack wanted to cry, his whole body was now shivering and he felt his legs giving out on the weight of his body.

Jack reached out to Ken when he was about to fall but Mark was quick, he caught Jack’s weight in his arms and Jack felt like drowning in a familiar surrounding. He didn’t want Mark to let him go, but he was angry. Mark did something to him that made him forget his life, made him forget everything _but Mark_. How selfish could he be?

“L-let me go…”

“But Jack, you’re—“

“No! You don’t know anything! I don’t need you to catch me. Mark, you erased my whole life.”

Luckily Ken grabbed a chair and told Mark to sit Jack down. He quietly told the other man to give Mark and Jack some space. They both left.

“Jack—I mean, Sean. Look at me.”

Jack looked him straight in the eyes with a hard stare. “How about start with my name? What is my name, Mark? Who am I? How was I?”

“Your name is Sean McLoughlin from Ireland. You had a very nice parents and a goofy brother. You were very open, loud, bold and friendly. You knew when to strive and when to draw the line. You were naggy, you want everything to be just right. You used your quick wit to solve problems. You had beautiful eyes, you still do.”

“Who are you? How did we meet? Who were you to me? What did you do to me? Why are you the only thing that I can remember?”

“I’m Mark Fischbach. We were together for years, we were in love. We met through an online game. After talking and playing online together for months, one summer you told me that you were going to come see me in America. That was our first meeting, and that was when I fell in love with you.”

Jack’s eyes softened, he really wanted to remember that because Mark smiled sweetly, his eyes were distant as he was recalling the memory.

“After months of a long distance relationship, we decided to move in together. We bought a nice small house in New York and living life the way we wanted it. You worked as an editor and I was a technician in a small company. I mean, we were really happy back then, until the rebellion started. They killed my mother and captured my brother to make him fight as their soldier. Then one day, they came to our house, threatening us to join them. You fought against them, and they captured you. I looked for you everywhere, and found you on their lab table. I _begged_ them not to do anything to you, they agreed but with a condition, that I had to help them in their technology section. I couldn’t let them do bad things to you, so I agreed. One of the missions was to infiltrate the unofficial government operation.”

The deeper they went into what happened, Jack could no longer find it in him to be angry at Mark.

“It turned out that the early experiments they did to you was to make a brainwashing substance, to plant a thought; an ideology; an alternate reality where they are the good guys, in someone’s mind and erase everything else. After they released you, they did experiments on other people but it seemed that you were the only sustainable subject in the area to develop the substance. One time when I was out, they came to our house and sedated you so they could do more experiments. They kept on doing this for weeks until I found out. I told you about it and you were really angry at me, about how I could let them do that to you, how I could let them use you to make a drug that’s going to destroy the world. I convinced you to just go with it, and we were going to find a way to break free out of it. You agreed but you left, saying you need to cool down for a bit. While you were away, I contacted an acquaintance, Scott in the medical section, to make me a similar drug but to plant a thought about me. I wanted you to be free from the burden of the memories and start a new life, but because I’m a selfish bastard, I still want you to remember me, to remember _us_.”

Jack reached out a hand at Mark, “I’m so sorry, Mark.”

“No, please don’t apologize.”, Mark took Jack’s hand and intertwined their fingers. “I missed you, so much. Do you know that?”

Jack smiled and nodded slowly. “I can see that.”

Mark laughed a little. “There are still some more to it, though.”

“Okay, I’ll listen.”

Mark took a deep breath and caressed the back of Jack’s hand with his thumb.

“You came back the next day, and saw me all bruised. They came to look for you but you weren’t there. I told them we had a fight but they weren’t happy with my answer so they beat me up. It was the last time we made love.”, Mark paused for a while and Jack squeezed his hand to encourage him to continue.

“I injected you with the drug I got from Scott and called a friend to bring you to Europe and help you with everything you need. I recorded a video and put it up on our bedroom TV, to make it seem that you’re never coming back to see me again because I knew that they were going to look for you again. Then I left and went here to see our old friends, they told me they have a place to hide me from the belligerents.”

“Is there any way to bring my memories back?”

“Scott told me that there wasn’t any antidote, but that he was going to try and make one without the belligerents knowing.”

Jack sighed, “I’m not the Sean you used to know, Mark. I can’t speak properly, I can’t walk properly. I’m slow, anxious and not loud. I think I even lost connection to the personality I used to have before.”

Mark squat in front of Jack and hugged him. “All that matters is that you’re here. You loved me and you’ll love me again.”

Jack laughed. “It feels good to see a familiar face.”

“I think it’s your turn to tell me your adventure, Jack of All Trades.”

“And you should tell me how I got that nickname, yeah?”

“Deal.”

They hugged again.

* * *

 

A man contacted someone using his phone. It was not long until the person on the other end picked it up.

“Speak”

The person whispered, “Sir, Subject SepticEye has been found.”

“Excellent, bring him in immediately”

“Understood, Sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this chapter seem to bland, (is it not?)  
> So as always, tell me what you think in the comments, and thank you for all the kudos xx


	5. (*) Kissing In The Blue Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark's POV
> 
> Mark's hard decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a flashback from Mark's POV when he gave Jack the memory wipe drug.
> 
> Warning : minor violence and implied sexual intercourse.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

The clicking sound of the keyboard echoed through the dark room. The computer screen was the only light source as Mark worked on the overdue report on the newest Switzerland base construction. His phone rang, he quickly answered it.

“Are you finishing the report?”

“Yes.”, Mark answered.

“Good. You shouldn’t have done that, you know well what the consequences are if you don’t cooperate.”

“Understood.”

He hung up. He had to quickly wrap this up and go home. The belligerents were getting closer to their necks. Before, the experiment they did on Jack was only once a week, but now, it became more often to the frequency of four times a week.

Mark sighed. He turned off the computer after he sent the report to the head of the IT division. He stood up from the squeaky wooden chair and picked up the small box from under the equally squeaky computer desk. He opened the lid to check if the syringe was still there, and it was; the syringe filled with the drug Scott made by his request to free Jack from all the experiments that would leave him with nothing but just his skin and bones when they were done.

The belligerents were falling out thanks to the hints and clues he kept sending to the Grumps and Cyndagos. The war wasn’t going to last any longer and at the end of it he would no longer have Jack by his side. He would hate himself so much if one day he would see Jack and his lover wouldn’t be able to remember him. He already found out about the experiments that Mark let them do to him. So Mark asked Scott to input all the good memories Mark and Jack spent together, just little snippets of them, never the detailed one. Hopefully after the war ended, Jack would be able to find Mark again and they would eventually live their lives the way they always wanted.

But now he had to go home. The fears of what was going to happen in the future could wait for awhile. He had to make sure that his plan in sending away the only beloved person he had left succeeded. With that Mark packed his bag and headed home.

* * *

 

Mark entered their neat simple house. He smiled when he saw the potted flower on the kitchen counter showed its bud. Jack must have came back sometime when he was away to water his favourite plant. Suddenly Mark’s little joy was interrupted by the banging sound from the gate. It wasn’t even five seconds before he heard the sound of a pistol being cocked.

“Where is Subject Septiceye, Fischbach?”

He could not see the person’s face, but the distorted voice didn’t sound too foreign to his ears.

“He’s not around”.

Mark tried to keep his voice solid. It was his attempt to show that he wasn’t afraid, that he was going to protect Jack no matter the cost.

The man pressed the tip of the gun to his scalp.

“Don’t fuck around, Fischbach.”

“What are you going to do? Kill me? You people need me.”

He heard the man hissed then clicked the heel of his shoe. There was a fist landed on his right jaw. It didn’t belong to the man holding him at gunpoint.

“Talk, Fischbach. Or do you want to end up like your brother?”

“I told you, he’s not here.”

This time there was a kick to his left shin. Mark faltered on his stance a little, but he was able to keep his ground.

“You’re getting nothing!”, Mark exclaimed.

Suddenly there was a knife grazed at the thin skin of his throat, right under his chin. A drop of his blood fell to the ground.

“Then you’re telling us where he is.”

“I have no idea.”

Two punches went to his nose.

“Haven’t I made myself clear that you have no option to fuck around?”

“We had a fight and he’s not coming back. I don’t know where he’s going.”

Three more punches to his stomach and one to his ribs. Mark bit his tongue to keep the pained groan from coming out. He couldn’t give them the satisfaction.

“Then you’re going to find out.”

“No. I don’t want anything else to do with him. If you want to find him, you do it on your own.”

“You know I’m ready to shoot you any moment.”

“I know. But I don’t care, shoot me, torture me, you’re still getting nothing out of me.”

With an angered grunt, the man pulled the gun away.

“If we were to find out that you, in any way, lied to us.”

Mark lifted an eyebrow. “What are you going to do? You’ve taken everything, there’s nothing else that you could threaten me with.”

Then Mark fell unconscious.

* * *

 

Mark opened his eyes to the coldness to this left cheek. He was no longer on the floor, but on the sofa in the living room and now there was a cold cloth on his face, he removed it and put it on the coffee table near the sofa. He lifted his head and shifted a bit to a sitting position.

“Don’t move too much, love.”

“Jack?”

“What did you do this time?”

Jack walked to him from the kitchen with a glass of warm chocolate.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit. Ye did something reckless again, didn’t you? So they had t’ beat ye up int’ a fookin’ pulp!”

“No. Um, they asked for you.”

“They asked fer me? Oh, fer another experiment, yeah?”

Mark sighed. “Yes.”

Jack threw himself on the sofa next to Mark. “I’m so sorry, Mark.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“That I went away. I should’ve been here. I told ye that no matter ye did I’d be by your side.”

Mark turned to Jack and smiled. “I’m glad that you weren’t here, baby. You had every right to get angry at me, and honestly, I felt so relieved that they couldn’t do anything to you.”

“Ya know I would let them do all kinds of experiment if that means they’re gonna leave ye alone.”

“I know you love me so much.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “You know I do, ye little ejit.”

Mark moved closer and leaned in to kiss Jack gently on the lips while resting his hand on Jack’s shoulder. Jack kissed back slightly then pulled away.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“I don’t want you t’ feel uncomfortable.”

Jack stood up and pulled Mark with him.

“Let’s take it upstairs to a more comfy surface.”

Mark laughed, his eyes turned to half moons. He followed Jack to climb up the stairs to their bedroom.

“You know I was already pretty comfortable on the couch.”

“Bullshit, Mark.” Jack answered playfully, a hint of laugh in his voice.

Mark stopped Jack on the short hallway to their room. He wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and kissed him deeply. Jack threaded his fingers in Mark’s dark thick hair as an answer while he kissed back.

Still kissing Mark, Jack pulled Mark’s shirt by the collar to drag him into their bedroom. They stopped to get their shirts out of the way. They kissed again. Jack kept on pushing Mark until the back of his knees hit the mattress and pushed him to fall on the bed. He shuck off his jeans and climbed the bed to hover over Mark.

“Ye don’t have t’ do anything.”

Jack leaned down and kissed him hard, leaving tingles all over Mark’s body when pulled away to tug off Mark’s jeans.

“Let me do all the work.” He kissed the tip of Mark’s nose. “Let me ride you until my legs burn.”

* * *

 

The clock on the bedside table showed 02.38am when Mark woke up. He watched Jack sleep and loved every single detail of the scene laid before him. He let himself memorize the sound of Jack’s steady breathing. He knew that this was the last time he would ever see Jack again and it saddened him to the point that he almost called off the whole thing.

Mark got off the bed and walked downstairs slowly to look for his bag. He tried to be as quiet as possible to not wake Jack up. His bag was next to the computer desk where Jack did his works. He didn’t move the bag, only dug in to take the small box with the drug from Scott inside it.

He climbed back up the stairs. Jack was still sleeping soundly inside their bedroom. Mark let out a long shaky breath, his hands trembled when he took out the syringe from the box.

He walked closer to the love of his life.

“Sean, I love you. I’m sorry, baby. In another life, we’d keep our promises but not in this one.”

Mark bit his lips as he prepared the needle. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The tears behind his eyelids threatened to fall. He leaned down to kiss Jack for the last time.

Mark injected the drug.

He was a mess when the syringe was emptied. Thousands of conflicting thoughts filled his head. Mark grabbed his phone and dialed a foreign number.

“Felix. It’s Mark. Can I ask for your help?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to be told from Jack's POV again. We're going to find out what awaits them after their reunion!  
> As always, tell me what you think in the comments. Also thank you so much for the nice feedbacks and kudos! I will try to always update with my best!


	6. Watching All Our Friends Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What follows after Jack and Mark's reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are back to the after memory-loss timeline! Hope you enjoy this chapter~

The sky was gloomy when Jack stepped out to the balcony with Mark by his side. He felt a rush of nervousness washing over him. He glanced a little at the man beside him. The said man’s eyes were gentle, they were looking at him with such fondness. Jack didn’t know whether to come closer or to pull away.

The balcony was hidden. He couldn’t see anything but more walls surrounding them and suddenly the world felt small, too small and closing in around him. Mark put a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t think too much.”

“I’m not thinking.”

Jack puffed a breath.

“You weren’t voluntarily thinking. I can see it from the crease between your brows.”

Jack raised his eyebrows.

“Well, aren’t you a poetic one.”

Mark laughed. The sound summoned the memories he had in his brain. It was scarily familiar.

“So I’ve been told.”

“I don’t know you.”, Jack said. He turned to look at Mark. “It feels like I know you but I really don’t. It scares me, Mark. Everything is so unfamiliar and I’m scared.”

He felt his voice faltered, broken out. When Mark was about to wrap his arms around him, there was a loud sound from the entrance where he and Ken got in from. The sound followed by hurried footsteps.

“Mark!”

Mark’s hands halted.

“What is it, Matthias?”

“They’re here!”

“Hey, take it easy. Who are here?”

“The rebels, Mark! They’re here and they’re searching for Jack, I heard ‘subject Septiceye’ being said over and over!”

Jack scrunched his face. There were people looking for him at this moment? At the moment he thought he had found his new beginning?

“M-Mark. What…is he t-talkin’ about?”

“It’s okay, Sean. I’m gonna keep you safe but we have to move right now.”

Mark cupped Jack’s face in his hands and Jack nodded.

“Matthias, get everyone! We have to go right now.”

Matthias gave one quick nod before gathering Mark’s other friends.

“Come on. Follow me!”

Jack followed. Mark opened a secret passage on the wall behind the freezer. There was a dimly lit dusty hallway waiting for them. They waited for a minute for Matthias and the others to come. Mark quickly shut the passage.

The hallway was terrible. Jack had quite a hard time keeping up because the floor was wet and muddy. Fortunately, Mark held his hand all the way so he didn’t fall behind. The smell of dead animals and wet squeaky noises made Jack’s stomach flipped.

“Hey, you okay?”, Mark asked between his uneven breaths.

“I’m alright. Let’s just get away from here first.”

There were stairs spiraling down ahead of them. Jack kept on praying that his legs wouldn’t fail him. He didn’t know these people and he didn’t want to be the dead weight they had to carry.

A low shriek echoed from behind them. Jack turned back and saw the blonde girl missed a step. He gasped as he witnessed her tumbled down three steps down.

“Mary!”

Ken and Matthias quickly grabbed her before she fall another step lower. They pulled her up and Ken grabbed her arm just like Mark did to him.

“Be careful!”

“Don’t worry. Let’s just keep going.”, Mary answered.

It felt like there were thousands of steps on the stairs. Jack kept forcing his legs, it was starting to shake. But he had to do this, he couldn’t let those people who were going to destroy the world get their hands on him again. They might succeed this time, considering how Mark’s acquaintance succeeded with his drug.

After what felt like forever, finally they reached the end of the steps. They walked a little further and saw rays of sunlight shining down. Ken let go of Mary, but Mark still had his fingers curled around Jack’s forearm. It started to burn but he didn’t have it in him to tell Mark to let go. So he tried to even his breathing instead.

Mark finally let go when Ken asked him to help lift the manhole cover above them. The blinding brightness from the sun hurt Jack’s eyes when they moved the cover. The brunette girl went up first, followed by Ken. He then helped Matthias and Mary up. Mark climbed up after then helped Jack.

Jack looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere. His surrounding was not any better than London. All he could see were ashes and broken up concretes. He could see a pile of scorched skeletons not far from where they stood. In that moment Jack realized that the situation is far worse than he thought.

They started running again. Their shoes left tracks of heavy dusts fogging the air around them. Jack’s only option was to stay strong.

The sudden sound of helicopter from the sky startled them. Matthias quickly ushered them to hide under a conveniently placed piece of concrete.

“They always do helicopter patrols on the Wasteland.”, Mark explained to him.

“Wasteland? Is this place…safe from radiation?”

“This Wasteland is still possible to survive in, hence the patrols. This Wasteland didn’t happen because of a nuclear bomb.”, Ken answered.

Jack sighed visibly in relief. Mark’s little chuckle made his cheeks painted a tint of pink. He was looking at him and that Jack could feel his heart hammering, from both the adrenaline and the feeling Mark gave him.

“I think they’re gone.”, the brunette girl said when the sounds seemed to be in the distance.

“We should continue.”, Matthias paused to check on his watch. “There’s still enough time. We can reach The Bright Pole before dark.”

Mark placed a hand on Jack’s right cheek. “Just a little bit more, okay? You’ll get your much needed rest soon.”

His tone was soothing despite the unbearable heat on the air. Jack smiled.

They continued running. There were all dry dusty overlays of land before them. Jack wondered what this ‘Bright Pole’ thing was.

Few more hours under the stinging rays of the sun until Jack could see a hint of green. He shook his head twice, he didn’t want to experience a mirage. But thankfully, it was not a mirage.

“The Bright Pole.”, Jack heard Mary said.

They ran towards it.

* * *

 

The Bright Pole was a very nice place. The plants were growing beautifully, there were also cute small animals running freely without making chaos. There were sellers’ stalls and simple dressed people going about their daily activities. Jack wanted to know how a place like this could survive in the middle of a Wasteland. He touched a beautiful pink flower on the side of the path. It shied away under Jack’s fingertips. He couldn’t help but laugh.

“Welcome, Bros.”

Jack widened his eyes when he recognized the voice and the slurry accent.

It was Felix.

He turned his head to see his first and only friend in front of him. Felix was dressed in a dark pink shirt and a leather vest, with brown trousers and cowboy boots. His dirty blonde hair had streaks of blue on it.

“Felix?”

The bastard threw him a mocking smile. “Hey, Jack.”

“You lyin’ son of a bitch! You lied to me!”

Jack lunged at him and he greeted him with a tackle hug.

“I’m sorry. It was the only way I could keep my eye on you, man.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Lying for a greater good, yeah? It happens a lot around me.”

Felix just answered with a bitter laugh. “Well, you got new friends here. Why don’t you introduce them to me?”

This time it was Mark who came at Felix, smacked him in the head.

“Stop hugging my true love.”

“Gee, Mark. Don’t get your brassiere in a bunch.”

Ken stepped forward and playfully choked Felix. “Don’t do dumb shit, Felix. Sean needs a place to rest and so do we.”

Felix smirked. “Don’t worry, I’ve got exotic foods prepared for you. I think Marzia is yelling at the servants right now.”

They followed Felix to the biggest tent in that place. Inside the tent was not what Jack had expected.

“Here are the things we managed to recover from the wasteland around this place. We wanted to make this place as familiar as possible. Although it kinda seems a bit like a town in the Victorian era.”

A beautiful girl stood before them. She smiled from her eyes and it felt like an oasis.

“Jack, this is Marzia.”, Felix introduced the beautiful girl to him.

“Hi, Marzia. I’m Sean, Jack. Whatever you wanna call me.”

“Great. Felix will show you your chamber and I will show the rest of you guys’ chamber.”, Marzia said, walking away to guide the others.

Jack looked to his left and saw that Mark was still standing next to him.

“Um, Felix. Is he going t’ room with me?”

“You know, Jack. You actually got your fast-talking back.”

“Good to know.”

“Oh, and yeah, I think. We don’t have that much of chambers left and Mark is the best option right now, b’cause you can’t room with me, obviously.”

Felix motioned him and Mark to follow him to their chamber. The chamber was nothing special, but it was quite a decent place to rest in.

“Hope you don’t mind to sleep on the floor, Mark.”, Felix said to Mark.

“No, yeah. Of course. He has to be as comfy as possible.”

“Sorry if this is all we can offer in The Bright Pole, guys.”

Jack looked at Felix and smiled. “No. Thank _you_. This is more than enough for us now, Felix.”

Felix replied him with a smile and left the room.

“So it’s just the two of us now, yeah?”, Jack tried to kill the silence.

Mark grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, I guess. Just like the old times.”

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For everything? For a lot of things, Mark. You did all these things for me and my reply is to treat you like a stranger? I’m such an ungrateful bastard.”

Jack sat down on the small bed. He motioned Mark to sit next to him. When he did, Jack rested his head on his shoulder. Sighing as he felt more relaxed than he had ever been since he woke up on the hospital bed.

“I’d do anything for you, gorgeous.”

Jack only hummed in return.

“You’ll stay with me, right? That’s all I ask of you.”

Mark ran his fingers through his hair. Jack felt the static running through his being.

“I’ll stay with you till the end of times.”

Jack fell asleep in peace for the first time in weeks.

Mark laid him down properly on the bed. He caressed his face gently and kissed him softly on his lips. Jack smiled in his sleep.

* * *

 

“Jack! Jack!”

Jack cracked his eyes open when he heard his name being called repeatedly. He looked around to try to find the source of the voice. Mark was not around, he guessed he must’ve been out to clean up or to get something to eat.

“Jack!”

The voice was clearer this time, it sounded familiar to his ears.

Jack got up from the bed. He saw a shadow behind the fabric of his tent. He walked closer to it, the voice called to him once more and he was sure that the shadow man was the one who called to him. He poked his head out.

“What are you doing here?”, Jack asked.

“Come with me! It’s not safe here, it’s a trap!”

“What do you mean it’s a trap? I need to go find Mark first.”

“Mark went first and asked me to come get you.”

Jack widened his eyes, Mark actually left him and sent someone else for him. He knew he shouldn’t have let himself fall back so easily.

“Come on, Jack. There’s no time to think!”

Jack let himself being pulled outside of his chamber, eyes heavy with cloudy tears from exhaustion and heavy heart. He thought he could finally be at peace in this place surrounded by his friends and fall in love again with Mark. Well, he was wrong.

* * *

 

Mark came back to his chamber after he cleaned up and grabbed some food for Jack when he woke up. He was shocked when he found out that Jack was no longer there. He frantically looked around and started shouting Jack’s name.

Felix, Matthias and Amanda approached him with worry.

“Mark, what’s wrong?”, asked Matthias.

“I-It’s Sean. He’s not in our chamber!”

“Are you sure? Maybe he was just out for some air.”

“No, Matthias. He was asleep when I left him in there to clean up.”

“Let’s just look for him with a clear head, okay, Mark?”, suggested Amanda.

Mark took a deep breath and nodded.

“I can’t believe I actually left him after I promised to stay with him.”

“It’s not your fault, Mark. You were just—“

“Yes, Felix! Yes it is my fault! I failed him again, just like I failed my mom and my brother.”

Felix put a reassuring hand on Mark’s back. “It’s okay, Mark. Don’t panic. We will find him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P the ever so talented Daniel Kyre. Everyone is taking their time coping with the grief.  
> I hope we will carry the beautiful memories of Daniel in our hearts forever.
> 
> As usual, tell me what you think about this chapter in the comments! Thank you for the positive feedbacks and kudos! <3


	7. Honey, Is That True?

Mark sagged on his seat. After hours of scouring the area around the Bright Pole they still couldn’t find Jack. He pushed his plate filled with untouched food away from him. It was his fault for leaving Jack in there. He should have known that the rebels would do anything to get their hands on Jack.

“How the hell did anyone manage to get Jack out of here? This place is always guarded.”, Felix started the conversation.

“Could it be the guard?”, Matthias said.

“I don’t know. I trust the people here, Matthias, and I don’t think any of them would do it. We’ve been alright all these time.”

“Maybe because their mission was not to destroy the Bright Pole, but to get ‘subject Septiceye’?”

Mark sighed audibly. “I shouldn’t have left the room…”

Amanda stood up and squatted in front of Mark.

“Don’t blame yourself, Mark. It was not your fault, you went out to bring stuff for him. You were doing something _for him_. So stop torturing yourself like that.”

“I can’t _not_ do that, Amanda. How would you feel if it were Matthias who got taken away?”

Amanda sighed, “I’m so sorry, Mark. We just have to keep trying.”

“I’m leaving Bright Pole in the morning.”, Mark announced.

“What? Mark, no. Are you insane? Tomorrow is the Cleansing Day!”

“Exactly.”

“You’re gonna let them take you again?”

“It’s not about me, Mary! Few months without him was hell for me and I can’t go through that again. I’m not gonna be able to live with myself for letting those rebels have their ways with him. I saw what they did to him and I just stood there because I was too scared. I can’t do that anymore, Mary. Also, if they got their hands on Jack again, they’re gonna be the one winning this war.”

“At least let me come with you.”, Felix said.

“No, Felix. It’s too dangerous. Marzia is here, and you have all these people you gotta take care of.”

“Ken can do that for me. Right, Ken? Taking the wheel while I leave with Mark?”

“Well… I… I suppose I can. But what about Marzia?”

Ken turned to Marzia.

“Don’t worry. I support whatever Felix wants to do, as long as it’s for the good cause.”

Felix smiled and kissed Marzia’s forehead.

“You are the best thing, Marzia.”

Mark stood up from his chair.

“We’ll leave at dawn.”

Felix nodded.

It was still dark when they set their feet out of the Bright Pole on the next day. Felix gave Marzia one last kiss before sprinting to catch up with Mark.

* * *

 

Jack opened his eyes to white painted walls. He was lying on the floor wearing a weird light blue clothes, he couldn’t see any door or windows. There was only a camera sitting on a tripod observing his every move.

Suddenly one of the walls split and a man with two guards walked in.

“Hello, Jack Septiceye.”

Jack narrowed his eyes.

“My name is Bill. Do you recognize me?”

“No.”

“Pity.”, he walked closer to Jack. Jack took three steps back. “We have met before.”

“It is amazing really. The drug really worked. You don’t remember anything but the memory planted in you. How remarkable.”

Bill motioned his guard to bring in a chair for Jack to sit on.

“Take a seat, Mr McLoughlin.”

Jack did.

“You must be wondering how I know that you were injected with our drug.”

The man smiled a sickening smile.

“Mark is indeed our best minion.”

“What do you mean?”

“We planted a false memory of you being together with Mark through the drug. What you think happened between you and Mark, did not happen that way.”

“You’re lyin’. Mark helped me escape from you people!”

“It was to test the intensity of the drug, and the result is magnificent.”

“No. Mark wouldn’t do that.”

“Hmm…”, Bill frowned. “Me for a starter, would never let anyone touch the person I love, lest to experiment on them. You did find the equipment under your shared bed, didn’t you? What kind of person would let ‘evil strangers’ into the bedroom he shared with the person he loved to do experiment on the said person? How peculiar.”

“Stop feckin’ lyin’!”

“How can you, Sean McLoughlin, fall in love with a person who erased your whole life?”

Jack couldn’t say anything. Bill was right. This irritating person called Bill was right. How could he love a person who erased his whole life? How could he trust that person so much? All of the memory could be fake. But, what about the familiarity?

“I know Mark. I know he loves me. Don’t try to trick me.”

“Do you, really? Do you know Mark Fischbach?”, Bill threw him a taunting smirk. “You don’t know anything about him, Sean. How could you be so sure that he loves you?”

“I-I’m… I don’t know him.”

“You’re going to let him manipulate your feelings like that?”

Jack gathered his mind.

“Why does all this matter to you?”

“We can help you.”

“And why would you do that?”

“Because they’re the good guys, Jack”

Jack looked up to see Arin and Danny standing on the door.

“Guys?”

“This war has killed so many people. The only way out is to make people forget about it.”

“You’re supporting the drug?”

“We agreed that without it, the war would strip hundreds more families from their loved ones. We need this drug to make people forget about the war and rebuild the world together.”

“You want these people to harvest me?”

“They’re not going to harvest you, Jack. They will only take some of your DNA without any pain. I promise.”, Danny smiled at him.

Jack let out a long sigh.

“I don’t know, guys.”

“Please. It’s for the better.”

Jack thought it through for a while. He loved Mark, and he knew he was being selfish. But life would not matter without him. He hated himself as he said, “No. Even if Mark is the bad guy, I’d still be with him.”

The two guards behind Bill approached Jack and he felt the world spun before it all turned black.

* * *

 

The sound of alarm clock woke Jack up from his sleep.

“Sean, darling.”

He turned to the voice. There was a beautiful woman standing next to his bed.

“Good mornin’, love. Why d’ you look like Gizmo had died?”

He looked around the room and saw the framed photo on his night table, his family photo. The woman talking to him now was his mother.

“Mum?”

Jack widened his eyes at the sound of his own voice. It was high pitched and slightly cracking.

“You don’t seem like all yer brain cells are in place. I’ll leave. Come down if ye want breakfast.”

When his mum left, Jack got off the bed into the bathroom. He was startled by what he saw in the mirror. It was indeed him, but when he just hit puberty.

“No freakin’ way.”

Then he headed to the door to leave the room. He wanted to see the rest of his family. But when he opened the door, he opened the door to the room he and Mark shared.

It was tidy. The bed was made. He saw Mark sitting on the bed, operating his laptop.

“Hey, baby.”

“Mark?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Everything is wrong, Mark.”

Mark put the laptop away then scooted to the middle of the bed and motioned Jack to sit beside him.

“Tell me, baby.”

Jack sat beside Mark and laid his head on Mark’s lap.

“Are we okay?”

“Of course we are. Why?”

“What if I lost my memory and got sent away, what would you do then?”

Mark chuckled. The soothing sound gave Jack a sense of security.

He grabbed the laptop and put it beside him, typed the words as he said them out loud.

“I’ll run away with your footsteps. I’ll build a city that dreams for two. And if you lose yourself, I will find you. Print.”

Jack gasped internally, that was the note he found attached to the briefcase filled with experiment equipments.

This was a memory. He was revisiting his memories.

“Sean, I love you, okay. I’m a coward sometimes but I will always fight for you. I’ll do anything for you, gorgeous.”

Those were the words Mark said to him in the Wasteland. So, Mark was real. Their relationship was real.

Jack put his hand on the back of Mark’s neck and guided him down to kiss him. Mark slipped his tongue in and Jack sucked on it slightly then pulled away.

“You nasty little…”

Mark laughed again. Jack closed his eyes.

* * *

 

Mark glanced at Felix dozing next to him. They were in a truck, probably heading to the rebel’s base. He could only hope Jack was there, or that they recognized him and was bringing him to Jack. He didn’t care if they were going to set them off. At least he would see Jack, and they would have the chance to break away.

Few hours and they arrived. The guards practically dragged them inside the base. He’d been here before, in the irritatingly cold metal compound. He saw Bill at the end of the hallway. He should have known.

“Mark Fischbach. Always thinks he’s fighting back while he always brings us what we want.”

Bill told the guards to take Felix away, two of them stayed to keep Mark chained. Mark took a deep breath as he tried not to blame himself for allowing Felix to come with him.

“Thank you for bringing us Felix Kjellberg, our most wanted motherfucker. This way it would be easier to bring people to our side. Your works have been nothing but worthy of praise.”

“Shut the fuck up, Billy.”

“Oh, you haven’t met the new addition to our happy family. Sean, would you like to say hi?”

Mark saw it coming this time. He knew Bill was going to do awful things to Jack so Mark would do the things he asked.

He saw Jack in a suit, shaved and his hair was gelled down.

“Jack?”

“Hello, Mark. How was the trip here?”

“It was—“

“Pleasant? I specifically asked Bill to take you straight away to me. That’s what you want, isn’t it? To see me?”

“What’s going on, Jack?”

“The things you let these people do to me were awful, Mark. I remember all of them, the agonizing pain as their scalpels cut into my skin. Did you get off on it, Mark? Did you get off on my pain?”

“What are you talking about? I would never—“

“You said all these things but you always let things happen to me. You even drugged me.”

“It was for your safety!”

“Enough, Mark. Stop lying already. I’ve had enough of your sickening voice.”

“They’re playing with your head, baby. Snap out of it!”

“I don’t think they are. I remember things clearly now. I remember my Mother. I remember where I grew up. I remember that house in the middle of nowhere. I remember the machine digging through my flesh as you watched.”

“No, Jack…”

“If it’s not true then tell me, Mark! Tell me you didn’t just stand there as I scream in pain. Tell me you didn’t leave the room when I called for your name as they…”

Jack continued, “You didn’t do anything to save me. That’s why you injected me with Scott’s drug, right? So I could fall back into your arms like you never let those horrible things happen to me.”

When Mark didn’t say anything Jack walked closer to him. He carded his finger through Mark’s hair and pulled it harshly, jerking his head up to meet his eyes.

“So much for ‘doing anything for you’, bitch.”

“What should we do to him, Sean?”, Bill asked in his shrill voice.

“Take him to the breaking wheel.”

Jack walked away with tears behind his eyelids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody. Sorry for disappearing for so long. I was very busy with moot court preparation /story of a law student/ . It's not finished yet so I won't be able to update as frequent.
> 
> As usual, tell me what you think in the comments. Thanks for all the kudos and feedbacks :)


	8. Play A Video Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What more could go wrong for Jack?

“Jack, wait!”

Jack stopped in his tracks. He didn’t turn around so Mark wouldn’t see him tearing up.

“Please just hear me out.”, Mark paused. “I know I’m a coward. I know I tend to run away from a situation rather than confront it. I don’t like it either, Jack. All I really want is to be together with you and I guess my fears made me the fool that I am. But I’m trying, Jack. I came here so I could see you, so I…”

“Billy”, Jack called. “Just…take him to the cells.”

Missing the annoyed expression on Billy’s face, Jack continued his steps back to his own white-walled prison.

* * *

 

Mark let himself be dragged along the poorly lit hall. He saw rusting steel doors on his sides. He could only guess he will be kept behind one of them. They stopped in front of the furthest one. The guards opened the lock to the door and harshly throw his body inside the dark room. He stumbled quite a few times before regaining his balance. The guard shut the steel door with a loud noise.

It was few long hours before Mark heard footsteps in front of his door, followed by the sound of the lock being removed not in a harsh manner as if the person doing it did not want to get caught. The sudden low brightness as the door opened flooded the room, satisfying Mark’s eyes for a few seconds before they disappeared again. There was someone with him inside the room now.

“Mark, i-it’s me.”

“Jack? Sean? That really you?”

“Yes. It’s so dark in here, I can’t see. I-I’m scared my legs won’t…”

“Stay where you are, I’ll come to you.”

“Yes, Mark. I’m leaning against the door.”

Mark walked slowly to the spot where the light was not long ago. He reached out and could feel Jack’s shoulder. He walked closer until he was pressed against the familiar curve of Jack’s body. He quickly hugged him.

“I’m here, baby. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for everything. I didn’t mean to do all those bad things. I was scared, I was too scared. I should’ve stuck around, I shouldn’t have sent you away.”

“It’s okay, Mark. I know the truth, I know everything you’ve done was to keep me safe. I love you, Mark. I remember now.”

Mark lifted his palm to feel Jack’s face. In the darkness, he could feel the bones of his brow, the bridge of his nose, and his lips. The infinite darkness heightened his senses and all he wanted was to drown himself in the sensation that is Jack. He gasped when Jack wrapped his lips around his thumb, biting lightly.

“I missed you, Mark. I want you now that I remember everything.”

“Jack…don’t…”

Jack was now sucking on his thumb, circling his tongue around it like it was something else rather than a finger.

He let go of Mark’s finger. “Why? I thought you loved me and you missed me. Why don’t you want to?”

“It’s just… This is not a good place, Jack.”

“Where is the good place then? Are you really gonna wait, Mark? ‘Cause I know I can’t”

Jack started grinding against him. Mark could feel himself slowly budging to the temptation.

“Come on, Mark. We don’t have much time. They’re going to start looking for me soon if they found that I’m not in my room.”

“I can’t see you, Jack.”

“Does it matter? I can’t see you either but I can feel you and that’s all that matters to me now. I need to feel you so I would know that you’re real, that these memories are real. I need to know if you really loved me or if what they said was true.”

Mark let out a sigh. “I promised I’d do anything for you, I’m going to keep that promise.”

And he kissed Jack.

* * *

 

“They’re going to use Felix to take control of the people that are fighting back. If they can get a hold of them, it’d be easier for them to win this war.”

Jack felt around for his pants, sighing loudly when he can’t seem to feel anything but the cold concrete floor.

“We have to get Felix out then. Fast. Here’s your pants.”

“Thanks. I don’t know where they’re keeping him. He’s not in any of the cells.”

“Any way you can access the main office?”

“I’ll figure out a way. I’ll come back when I have something, or someone.”

“It’s like playing one of those video games”, Mark chuckled.

“Yeah, except your _real_ life is on the line here.”

Jack opened the lock to the door.

“Wait.”, Mark held him tightly.

“Mark, love. I gotta go, they’re going to look for me.”

“One more kiss.”

Jack rolled his eyes. Well, even though Mark couldn’t see it.

“Fine.”

He let himself be kissed. Jack wondered how it is that he still felt breathless everytime Mark kissed him. It’s like he fell in love all over again.

“Have I told you that I miss the stubble?”

“They’ll grow back.”

“Well, no shit, Sherlock.”

“Come on, Mark. I _really_ gotta go now.”

“Okay, okay. Fine.”

“I’ll come back. I always will.”

Jack left the room, leaving Mark in the darkness on his own.

* * *

 

Jack squint his eyes as he was greeted with lights once again. He straightened his rumpled clothes and pants and combed his hair up with his fingers. Luckily, the gel still kept his hair in place and he was quite strict to Mark about not messing up his hair because it could easily fish out suspicions. Good thing Mark listened to him otherwise it would be quite hard to put his hair to place again.

He walked out of the dungeon and headed to the main hall, past the laboratory where they used to experiment on him, and past the room they were keeping him in now. He needed to find where they were keeping Felix. But he didn’t know where to start looking.

“Subject Septiceye.”

Jack froze.

“What are you doing outside? And how could you get outside?”

He inhaled deeply and turned around to face to source of the voice. It was a researcher’s.

“Well, I…I’m hungry, so I figured I could look for some food. Also the door to my room wasn’t locked so I thought it’s alright for me to go out and about in this building.”

It wasn’t a complete lie, he really was hungry and the door really wasn’t locked.

“That’s odd. Prisoners should be kept inside at all times.”

“Then I suppose I’m not a prisoner. I’m not kept in the dungeon like Mark or like Felix in the… Where is Felix kept again?”

“Hypnosis room. He’s not kept, he’s undergoing a mind alteration so we could use him against those resistance he leads soon.”

“How convenient, right? Everything is going just how they were planned.”

“Exactly. Everything is going well. We’re going to win this World War III soon.”

Jack raised his eyebrows in an indifferent manner.

“You know I don’t buy it. Who is the mastermind of all this?”

“I haven’t met him. He goes by ‘The King’. They said none of us had met him, not even Billy and that he is brilliant and so very fitting in leading the world.”

“And do you believe in this ‘King’?”

“I don’t like how the world is right now. It is corrupted, it is owned by the people with money and political power, the women are still oppressed, so are the minorities, racism are still plaguing and many more bad things. I don’t agree to any of those and if The King could rid the world from all that then I’d stand by him.”

“You have a point. But what if he’s only going to make it worse? What if he’s going to rid even the smallest thing of justice and equality that is already there?”

“Then I’ll be the one standing on the first line fighting against him.”

“It was great talking to you…um…”

“Matt.”

“Great. Thanks, Matt.”, Jack smiled. “Oh, one more thing. Where is this Hypnosis Room? I wanna see what they’re doing to Felix, I mean he was my friend and…”

“I shouldn’t tell you any crucial information but since you’ve been a great chatting partner… it’s on the East Wing. Just walk that way.” Matt said, pointing at a direction where there were not many people passing.

“Thanks.”

Matt threw him a small smile then walked off.

Jack quickly headed to the direction Matt showed him, hoping it was not a trap set by Billy or even ‘The King’ himself.

* * *

 

There were really not many people going to the East Wing and none of them seemed to be bothered by Jack’s presence. Maybe they didn’t know who he was and thought that he was one of the people who worked there since he wore similar clothes to what everyone else wore.

It didn’t take long until there was a visible sign of ‘HYPNOSIS ROOM’ above a door. He carefully opened the door. Thank God it didn’t have any lock to it.

_It’s kind of odd how this place doesn’t have that tight of a security._

Inside he saw Felix tied to a chair, staring at the wall in front of him with expressionless eyes.

“Felix”, Jack called.

He didn’t answer.

Jack walked closer to Felix and shook his shoulder.

“Felix!”

Felix gasped like he was just underwater and repeatedly blinked his eyes.

“Felix? Felix! You okay, buddy?”

“Jack? You’re here? What’s going on?”

“They did something to you. How are you feeling?”

“Like I was shoved down the toilet bowl ten billion times.”

“We have to get out of here, Fee. We have to get Mark and leave this place.”

“No, Jack. You don’t understand.”

“What don’t I understand?”

“We can’t leave this place.”

“And why not?”

“Because we’ve entered the game, The King’s game. And this is where he wants us to be right now.”

“No, we’re not, Fee. They did something to your head. This is real, there’s a real war going on out there and they’re going to use you to win this war.”

“We’ve been played, Jack. Everything that we did, even outside of this place, even when we were in Europe, was all part of his plan.”

Jack laughed sinisterly, “The King is not God, Fee. Alright he could be insanely smart but he’s just a human being like you and I. We can fight back. Isn’t that what you’ve been doing all these time with Ken, Mary, Matthias, Mark and Amanda?”

“And look where that got us. Nowhere, right?”

“You’re saying we should stay and playing right the way they want it?”

“Yes. We go by the rule, and if we won only then we could be truly free.”

Jack narrowed his eyes. “Fine. We do this your way first, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll do it my way.”

“Very well.”

“Should I get Mark first?”

“No! He’s a prisoner and he should stay a prisoner until it’s done.”

“You can’t do that! He’s going to go bonkers if he stays in that dark room any longer.”

“I’m sorry, Jack. That’s how it should go.”

Jack let out a long shaky breath, holding in his anger and confusion.

“Fine, fine. I agreed to do this your way. So what now?”

“Jack, if there’s one thing I learned from all that’s happened is that everything is connected.”

“Everything seems way too easy for me since I arrived in this place, Fee. I got my memories back, my room has no lock, Mark’s cell has no lock, there was a researcher showing me where you are, and this room has no lock. Like, seriously? It couldn’t be this easy.”

“It is easy, Jack. Because that’s what The King wants you to do.”

“What’s next?”

“We start by connecting all the dots that have been marked. Start at the beginning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter satisfies you guys. Finally back to normal life, it's been so long! Forgive me if this chapter seems out of sync and more confusion! But we'll get to the revelation soon~ thank you for staying with me up until now ^^  
> Don't forget to tell me what you think. Also thank you for the nice feedback and kudos!


	9. Trapped In Time (Can You Come Back Home?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth unfolds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter.

“Alright. So what do you propose we do now then?”

Jack raised an eyebrow at Felix. The addressed male just shrugged and threw himself on the chair he was sitting few moments ago.

“Can I ask you a question, Jack?”

“Anythin’.”

“Who brought you here?”

Jack’s eyes widened. “W-What?”

“Someone took you away from The Bright Pole, right? Someone brought you here.”

“H-Honestly, Fee. I don’t know who he was.”

Felix snapped his head at Jack. “What do you mean that you don’t know who he was?! Clearly he’s got your trust so you followed him instead of staying at The Bright Pole with us, right?!”

Jack cleared his throat. “Calm down, Fee. He seemed familiar, like I’ve met him before, and it’s just so weird that I feel like I know him but I actually don’t know who he really is.”

Felix snickered, “You’re fucking around right now, aren’t you, Sean?”

“I’m really not. I don’t know who the guy was, but I’ve met him before.”

Looking around the room, Felix stood up and walked closer to Jack. “You do know we can’t get out of here without a proper plan, right?”

“What do you propose, Fee?”

“I say we get out of here.”

The muscles on Jack’s body tensed. “Getting out of here? Leaving Mark here?”

“Do you have any better plan, Jack?”

“I don’t. But, I know for sure that leaving this place would not solve anything. This is where it all started.”

“We don’t know that.”

A temporary silence enveloped the room. Felix broke it by clearing his throat awkwardly. “Jack, we have to figure out who The King is, and we can’t do it from inside this place.”

“I’m not going to leave Mark in that fuckin’ dark room alone, Fee!”

“Jack, I understand—“

“No, you don’t!”

Jack turned away from Felix. Felix just sighed loudly in return.

“We have to beat this guy at his own game, Jack.”

“I don’t even know what kind of game he’s playing, and I can’t do anything. How are we going to beat this game, Felix?”

Jack’s voice was small, like a whisper, like he was afraid someone unwanted might overhear.

Felix stepped closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Why can’t we just talk about whatever we’re planning in here? No one came here to check on you or anything, and honestly, I find that really odd.”

“Let’s just get this over with, Jack. We get Mark out of here, we go back to The Bright Pole, then we plan everything from there.”

“I—can’t go, Felix. You take Mark out of here.”

“Why not?”

“I got on their good side and I can’t exactly just leave, that would too suspicious. Besides we would have an inside man by then. The security inside the building maybe sucks but the defense is unbelievable. They have a whole battalion on call if there were any incoming threat, I overheard Billy talked about it.” Jack turned back around to face Felix, his face glowing slightly with the hope of finishing this madness and perhaps bring back some peace to the world. “I can deactivate the communication from the inside so when you come back that army won’t be on your way.”

“This _King_ , he play mind games, right?”

Felix narrowed his eyes, the gears in his brain turning. Jack nodded questioningly in return.

“You said we have to play The King’s game, beat him at his own game.”

Jack nodded again, still didn’t know where Felix was going with this.

“We should bring him out to the light, to the playground; where he’d no longer be the mastermind or the one playing us like pawns. We should bring him inside his game so he would be one of us, playing to survive.”

“What are you thinking, Felix?”

“I agree with you. We’ll go with your plan, that way he would know that the design of his game is flawed, that he would have to come down here to fix it himself.” Felix smirked victoriously, clearly everything was panned out in his mind. “I’ll break Mark out of here and come back with an army, as an evident that his plan didn’t work.”

“Don’t you think he would plan all of that letting me walk around the facility without guard and your holding unsecured? Everyone’s scared of him, Felix, that should be more than enough evidence to show that this game is not an ordinary clichéd breaking out and breaking in game.”

“We’d be ready then.”

Jack sensed that Felix had something else planned that he didn’t tell him, but he let it slide. Maybe it was best that he didn’t know, maybe it was part of Felix’s plan to overthrow The King.

Hesitantly, Jack said, “Fine. I’ll get Mark out of his holding cell and show you the way out. There’s an air vent opening just at the end of this corridor, it will lead you to the automatic gate leading to the docks. Mark will meet you there.”

“Great. Thanks, Jack.”

Jack walked towards the door. Before he opened it, Felix said, “Be careful, Jack”. He turned around. “I’ll see you again.”

“Well, you better. I don’t want to stay here for the rest of my life.”

Felix replied with a dry laugh. Jack only smiled in return and then proceeded to leave the room. The door’s automatic lock beeped behind him as he shut it.

He headed to Mark’s holding cell in a slower pace and with his back to the cameras all the time. The security had been shit but it was no excuse for him to act recklessly. Anticipation building inside him; he was going to save the world, like in those superhero movies, like in those third person POV video games. He better do it right.

“Ah, Subject Septiceye.”, a familiar voice stopped him on his way.

“Arin.”

The dark-haired man was standing around two feet away from him, a prideful smirk on his lips.

“Where you heading?”

“J-Just looking around.”

Jack mentally slapped himself for the stutter. How convincing.

“You have a pretty determined look for someone who is just ‘looking around’. What do you have in store, Septiceye?”

“No, really. I’m just looking around.”

“I think I know where you want to go. Do you want me to take you there?”

Arin’s words were taunting him, like he was a deer in the mere grasp of a lion.

“Ah, I don’t think that would be necessary since I don’t have anywhere particular that I want to go.”

“You’re looking for Mark, right? I’ll take you there.”

“What?”

The taunting smirk turned on Arin’s face turned to a sincere smile. Suspicion was bubbling in Jack’s chest.

He wanted to go with Arin to see Mark but something inside him telling him not to, that it would be far too easy. After being with his kidnapper, now Arin suddenly wanted to help him? Jack would have none of that.

So he ran the other direction. The scientists and employees didn’t even spare a glance at him.

_What’s wrong with them? Do they not notice me running? Did they know that this was going to happen all along?_

Jack was faced with a door. With Arin closing in from behind him, he had no other option but to open it.

.

.

.

And Mark was there. He was sitting on a decorated seat. The wall behind him was a collage of photographs, all of them had Jack in it; smiling, crying, laughing, yelling. The worst part was Mark wasn’t alone in the room, all of his other friends was there. Every single one of them was the people Jack had met on his journey to this place.

The door opened behind him, revealing Arin who was not out of breath at all even after chasing Jack around the facility.

Felix was there, though. He didn’t seem distressed or wanting to go anywhere. The blonde was standing in a slouched way, looking at him with sad apologetic eyes.

“Hi, baby.”

Mark was the one breaking the silence. Jack’s ears were ringing.

“Mark what’s going on?”

“It’s been forty two days, baby. You need to come back to me.”

“What do you mean, Mark? We were just going to break you out of the prison and—“

Mark stood up to walk closer to Jack. He hugged him. His voice was shaky when he said, “That was a year ago, Sean. You have to stop this, you have to let it go. I can’t do it alone, baby. I can’t _watch_ you breaking apart. I can’t have you living in this world forever. O-Our son, Sam, he—he wants explanations, he wants to know what’s going on with his daddy.”

“Mark, I don’t understand.”

“Please, Sean. Please come back to us. This isn’t real anymore, this isn’t reality. The _real_ world is waiting for you. I’m waiting for you, Sam is waiting for you. Can you come back home?”

Mark let go of Jack’s body. Tears were brimming on his eyes.

“Mark, please explain to me. I don’t understand anything that you said to me.”

“Just…close your eyes, my love.”

Mark leaned to kiss Jack softly. Jack closed his eyes.

.

.

.

The whirring from the plane’s engine sounded like white noise to Jack. He was safely tucked inside Mark’s arms. They won the war. They dragged The King out to the light and beat him at his own game. They stopped the belligerents from taking over the world by killing hundreds of the employees who worked in the facility. Jack still remembered the looks on their faces as he pulled the lever to fill the whole facility with toxins. He killed people. People with families, friends, lovers and children waiting for them at home. He was a mass murderer and should have stood trial for genocide.

Weeks after they got out, Jack still kept on running the scenarios hundreds of times in his head. He wondered if there was a better way to win this without killing the innocent people. Felix convinced him that those people worked for The King, so they were the bad guys. But Jack didn’t think the same way. Mark worked for The King for a short while, didn’t mean that Mark was a bad guy. He worked for The King because he was threatened. What if those people also had no choice? How could Jack play God and kill them in such painful way?

Jack eventually stopped seeing Felix because he reminded him of the bad decisions that he made. Felix knew that their friendship had burned down to ashes and moved with Marzia back to London. Mark offered Jack to also move somewhere overseas. He had offered for them to move to Singapore or Seoul so they didn’t have to keep seeing the same environment that would remind Jack of what happened. But Jack had refused, he wanted to be reminded with his sins so he could carry the pain of the people he killed.

Few months and Jack kept on closing himself off, withering like an overdue flower. Mark came home with an 8 year-old boy named Sam one night, with a wide smile on his face he told Jack that he had adopted a child that was left by his parents because of the war. He told Jack that this should be their new beginning, that they should become a family now. Jack had yelled at him about how Mark should have left him and started his own family, he told Mark to stop surrounding himself with memories of the war, lest a child that reminded him of the war. Jack had cooled down the next morning and welcomed the child to his embrace.

But it didn’t stop there, Jack continued to wither. His blue eyes were no longer emitting warmth and happiness, it was dull and lifeless. So that afternoon he had gone to his old house that had the lab and started working on a virtual reality device. He thought that if Jack could not let the war go, he might as well given a chance to live it one more time, to make different choices so that he would gain peace just like everybody else had.

.

.

.

He opened his eyes to the sound of engines shutting down. He was lying on an uncomfortable mattress without a pillow to his head. He tried to sit up slowly and was greeted with a throbbing headache. He touched his head only to feel a wiry device was there.

“Let me take it off for you.”

The familiar deep voice washed over his body like a sea breeze.

Jack turned to see the man he loved all his life smiling at him. He smiled back.

“Mark.”

Mark walked to him and slowly took off the wire device that stuck on his temples and the back of his neck.

“You came back home, Sean.”

“You were right. I have to let go.”

Mark kissed his forehead and called for their son.

“Sam! Come here! Daddy’s back.”

“Daddy!”

The cheery Turkmenistan-born boy jumped out from behind the door and ran to hug him.

“Hey there, squirt.”

“Appa said you would come back from the faraway land. He said when you came back we’re going to have a big dinner party!”

Jack laughed lightly. “Did he now?”

Sam nodded excitedly. “Daddy, did you know that Appa and his friends are making a video game?”

“Really?”

“Yes. He said it’s about the war!”

“Oh yeah? That’s cool! What do you have to do in the game?”

“Well you play as this hero called Jack Septiceye. It has these choices that will lead you to save the world from the war!”

“That’s…amazing, Sam.”

“Appa said we’re going to the first people to play it! My friends are going to be so jealous!”

Mark crouched down to gently pat Sam’s head and said, “Sweetie, would you like to grab a glass of water for Daddy?”

“Sure, Appa!”

Sam ran out of the lab to obey to his father’s words.

“Did you really do that, Mark?”

“Maybe it was foolish of me. But if you didn’t want to let go of the past and want to keep reliving it, the least we could do is to live through it together, it also going to have multiple endings so we could see how things could go out differently, well according to my probability calculations anyway. And if you don’t want to, we could just not play it. I can tell Sam to play it with his friends instead of with us.”

“No, it’s okay. I want to play it with my son. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Mark smiled in return. Jack grabbed Mark by the hair and kissed him lovingly. He could not be any happier than having this man in his life.

“Ew, Daddy! Appa!”

The both of them let go laughing. Jack realised he’d been giving himself hell for the past year, looking for the heaven he thought he would fine if he hadn’t make the decisions he made. Why did he even bother to look far for heaven, when heaven was a place on earth with his fiancée and his son?

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear readers.  
> I apologise for not updating in such a long time. But I have been so busy with real life. Beside that also had a massive lack of inspiration for how this fic is going to pan out. Fortunately, I came up with ideas after hours of listening to songs and watching videos. I hope I don't disappoint with how this piece of work ends. I know there may be unanswered questions, feel free to talk to me about it! It was an amazing ride and it was good knowing you guys, thank you for all the kudos and feedback. I still hope for feedbacks in this last chapter so I could do better in ending my stories in my future fics, also apologies for any grammatical mistakes. I am only a mere human.  
> note: Appa is Korean for Dad/Daddy
> 
> Reach me on tumblr: http://the-devilish-avocado.tumblr.com/


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